This adventure took off right at the start. It is so fast paced and the pacing maintains throughout. I loved the world, the sea setting, and being able to figure out the little gems of mystery one piece at a time. I can't wait until the finished copy comes out so I can add this beautiful cover to my collection!

I think this book has pulled me out of my emotional reading slump? It’s been months since I’ve truly and wholly loved a book, but I was so invested and so intrigued with this world and these characters. I love Fable as our protagonist, and the way she interacted with the motivations of everyone else.

Sometimes there was too much description of action without much insight into what our main character was thinking, but it wasn’t frequent and I was never confused (once I figured out the vocabulary at least).(But I actually loved that the narration didn’t spell everything out and left the words to implications and context.)

I definitely recommend this one if you love pirate or ship stories. Or stories that appreciate the ocean. I cannot wait for the next book!

I cannot get enough of this book. I have been a fan of the author since Sky in the Deep released. This is a close second. The master storytelling and weaving of so many elements was just well done. If has such a long drawn romance that isn't the center of the story instead you can just know it. I cannot wait to see what happens in the second book. It cannot come soon enough!

My feelings on this book took more twists and turns than the poor main characters life. The first line had me ready for drama and then I slowly started to get discouraged with all the sailing terminology. World building is important though and as everyone in this world so far is dependent on sea trade it’s just something to work through. I had pondered just stopping at the 25% mark but pushed through because I know from Adrienne’s other books she likes to flesh the world out before you really get into the thick of things. There was representation and none of it was used to push the story so that was really nice. I had a small fear halfway through insta-love was going to happen and I always cringe when that happens but it’s so typical in ya you just have to brace for impact like you’re about to hit a reef. I was pleasantly surprised that wasn’t the case. As the book drew to a close knowing that it’s a duology there was going to be a cliff hanger so I mentally tried to prepare myself. I did not prepare myself to the point I should have. Equal parts predictable and out of nowhere shocking. I was a little disappointed about the predictable part just because there are a lot of characters that a true blind side could have happened but I’m excited to see how Fable’s story ends. I will be adding a physical copy to my shelves when this is released and will now count the days until book 2.

Thank you to Wednesday Books for my Netgalley in exchange for an honest review!

My oh my! Now this is a story that dug itself into me and wouldn’t let go!

This has been a book I’ve been anticipating all year! It was even better than I hoped! It’s got action, adventure, love, lost, feelings of hopelessness, but most of all it has hope. The story hooks you from the very beginning with the world building, characters and writing.

Adrienne held nothing back in this one. Fable is our MC abandoned by her father on a cut throat island at a young age. Fable is told if she makes it off the island and back to her father she will be given what’s hers. Along the way she meets a small crew who are not at all what they seem. But they’ve saved her life so who really cares right?

This epic adventure had me feeling every emotion. I haven’t cried reading a book since Allegiant...it’s been a while. But with everything Fable comes to face she always has hope. She’s a strong written female character that we can all look up too. It’s so hard in YA not to have a MC be whiny in some way, Fable finally broke this mold for YA female characters. She never once annoyed me by whinnying, she dealt with every blow that came at her. She had her big girl panties on and pulled up. But every emotion she went through and dealt with in this story, it was so easy to get lost and feel everything she did.

Adrienne wove a beautiful adventure I’m so glad to have read, the adventure was amazing and I CANT wait for Namesake!

Fable is a Jevali dredger, a diver off the coast of Jeval, the island of thieves on the edges of The Narrows, a dangerous stretch of sea rife with traders and privateers alike. Fables’ secret gift for sensing the presence of gemstones has been a boon to her profession in a world where it’s every person for themselves and she’s so close to being able to buy her way off of this hellish island that’s she’s been stuck on since she was 12 years old. She can practically feel what it will be like to confront the man who dropped her there in the first place, the infamous trader, Saint, and take her place amongst his crew where she belongs–after all, he is her father.

However, on day while on a dive things quickly go awry and with death close on her heels, she flees toward the very trader whose gold has filled her cache with coins. After giving him everything she has in exchange for passage, Helmsman West of the Marigold reluctantly agrees to take her to her destination. However, once they are out to sea, the very place she feels like she belongs, Fable starts to note some strange things about the crew itself. What did she get herself into?
Fable is jam-packed with action, high-seas adventure, and a healthy dose of romance. Every character is well-written, the scenes are well-set, and everything comes together so beautifully. I had a very hard time putting this book down once I got started and I loved every second of it. It never slowed down for me. I have always loved stories of privateers and pirates, especially those set in a Caribbean-type space and this checked all of my boxes. Young is an amazing author and I cannot wait for the sequel. I really hope we get closer to the gem-trading city of Bastian and learn more about Fable’s mother’s past and about Fable’s gift. What really happened when the Lark wrecked when she was a child? I feel like there is way more to this tale and I will wait with baited breath.

Oh wow. This book was so good. I just flew through it and finished it in less than twenty-four hours. It did take me a few chapters to really get into the story, but once the plot was really moving and I became more familiar with Fable, the main character, I could not stop reading.

The world-building is done very well and I loved the overall mood of this book; I appreciated that Young obviously put a lot of effort into researching ships and sailing. I really liked Fable. She was definitely my favorite character and I felt very sympathetic towards her throughout the entire story. I found Saint to be a super interesting character as well, because he was super complex. I did not really feel attached to the other members of the crew, however. I liked them, though not as much as I did Fable, and I wish their pasts were explored further.

I admit that I was not particularly into the romance—I thought they were cute and I liked them but they didn’t have as much chemistry as I would have liked.

But nonetheless, I absolutely can’t wait for the sequel—the ending just left me on the edge of my chair. I will most definitely be picking up a final copy of this book.

This seriously is Adrienne Young's best work. I fell in love with her storytelling in Sky in the Deep, and watched her characters grow in The Girl the Sea Gave Back. But now with Fable, she has effortlessly pieced together what's great about her first works to write a beautiful story.

Young is able to paint a beautiful backdrop for the lives of these sailors, and you can't help but be pulled under in the tide of her writing. With a diverse cast of characters, and a slow burn romance that will make anyone swoon, Fable will be sure to leave your lungs burning, waiting for the next breath of salty air that is Namesake.

I daresay 5 stars!
I read this book today. The entire book, more or less in ONE sitting.

Fable by Adrienne Young, is the first book in a new series that begins with a girl , Fable, who was abandoned on an island at the age of 14. Everything she has (which isn’t much at all) she has worked hard for, diving deep into the sea. When she’s attacked she defends herself and has to barter passage to another island, with the trader who buys her merch when he’s in port she has to give him everything she has. But there is something about the ship, and it’s crew that they’re hiding. And they aren’t the only ones.

This book captured my attention from the first line and didn’t let go. It is apparent that sailing was well researched. Beyond that the storyline is beautifully paced. The characters are rich and so well developed, and the world building is phenomenal. I was captivated.

I highly recommend this book. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC. (My enthusiasm is 100% my own!)

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Y’all should know by now that I love to start a review by gushing over the cover, so what comes next shouldn’t be a surprise, right? THIS. FREAKING. COVER! Can we just all agree that Wednesday Books is killing the cover game right now? One slow clap from me, keep up the good work. (If you need further proof that Wednesday Books has gorgeous covers this year, I will put some of my favorites at the bottom of this post for you to drool over.

While Sky in the Deep was an unequivocal five star read for me, I had a harder time with The Girl the Sea Gave Back. While that one was a one sitting read for me, it didn’t quite have the pull of Adrienne Young’s debut. The moment I saw the cover and read the synopsis for Fable, I knew it was a book I NEEDED to pick up. I am beyond happy to report that Fable absolutely blew me away.

Fable as a character is likable, fierce, tough and just someone I constantly found myself rooting for. She never gave up and showed an incredible determination to see her goals completed. Even in the face of rejection and failure, she maintained a strong will and persevered.

One of my favorite things about Sky in the Deep was the cast of side characters and the connection that I formed with them as a reader. The supporting cast in Fable is just as wonderful and likable, if not more so. Fable’s entire friendship with them was a kind of slow burn and I enjoyed watching that develop slowly.

There is romance and while it is ridiculously swoon worthy and actually brought tears to my eyes, it did not overtake the plot. Fable was the start to an incredible story about a girl finding her family and her place in the world, and I can’t wait to see where the stories goes in the sequel. Definitely preorder these gorgeous books – I already have!

This book takes off running from beginning to end and I couldn’t take my eyes off the pages in between. I love the strength of Fable. As a protagonist she’s resilient and gritty with just enough of a conscience to allow her to be slightly vulnerable without being weak. Please tell me there’s a sequel because Im totally left hanging and it’s frustrating. A special thanks to Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion which is you should read it. 😊

You know when you are eating a good piece of cake and you don't want to finish the last bite because you know nothing will ever be as wonderful as that last bite until you have more next time? That's how I felt while reading Fable by Adrienne Young, I did not want to finish this story at all.

Fable, the main character, is someone who had to adapt to her new surroundings, in four years she learned to survive, trade, and outsmart others, all with a goal of one day having enough coins to secure passage off the island. Things escalate faster than Fable had planned but she doesn't waste any time in getting things done. One of the things that stood out about Fable was her resilience, her mother died and her father left her there; life threw her curveballs and knocked her down but she still kept going.

I enjoy stories about crews so when Fable left the island with West and his crew I was beyond excited to see how the relationship dynamics between them all would be and I was not disappointed. Also have to mention that learning about the side characters and their stories was just as important as Fable's.

Adrienne Young is a pirate, there I said it, she captured the pirate life flawlessy, it never felt forced or fake, it was smooth sailing while I was reading. Fable is her best book and definitely my favorite, I couldn't get enough of the characters, the high stakes, and the sea.

Even though, the last page has a cliffhanger, I was left with a huge smile on my face, I really loved this story and hope that this year moves faster so I can get my grabby hands on the sequel, Namesake.

(Thank you Net Galley and Wednesday Books for providing me with an E-Galley)

I adore Adrienne Youngs writing, and after reading her last book, The Girl The Sea Gave Back, I knew she would be an auto buy author for me.
When I saw she was coming out with another book, I screamed! That cover is gorgeous, and the synopsis sounds even better!
This was such a great read and I loved the world building and characters.

I want to start off by saying that I was in a bit of a book slump recently. I couldn't get into anything. It took me forever to read a single book. It was miserable. That being said, I sunk right into Fable and finished it in less than 48 hours. This may not seem like a feat to many, but I have a ten-month-old at home and my reading time is limited.
Fable wasn't my favorite of Young's works; that spot is still held by The Sky in the Deep, but it was a quick read and such a deviation from her first two books. The imagery is fantastic and I cannot wait to see where the next book finds Fable, especially after the twits and turns at the end.

AY took a fascination I had with pirates and turned it into a full-blown obsession. This story is EVERYTHING I need to feel like I'm living a stolen life on the open seas with the salty wind in my hair and a map in my hand.

This book holds masterfully built worlds and perfectly crafted characters. There is such a great balance between who the story is about and the places they navigate. I was constantly enamoured by each character and their motivations, as well as where each scene was set. I just really cant get over how great this kind of storytelling is.

It's the kind of storytelling that made me panic when I realised I only had a couple of chapters left because I didn't want it to end. So praise the book gods that there's a sequel coming!

This was such a fantastic story. A little bit of a slow build in the first third of it; the storytelling hadn't yet hit its stride and you weren't sure where it was going, what was important, and it was a bit confusing what the stakes were. However, as soon as those were established, phew. I flew through this book. The writing is wonderful. The characters are so 3-dimensional and so darn real. There isn't a ton of magic explained, just a smidgen, but I think the next book will help illuminate more on that.

The characters are the best part of this book. They are well written and realistic. I was engaged from the first sentence. Also that cover is beyond beautiful! I love how fierce it is and that the sequel matches is even better. I can’t wait to share this one with students!

I cannot recommend this book enough. I was excited to read something different and this book did not disappoint me.

When I first saw the cover of this book I got super excited! I have always been a huge fan of red hair! This cover just had so many vibes that gave me pure enjoyment and I haven't even read the book. When I saw it on NetGalley I knew I had to try and get my hands on it. I read this book in one day and found it very hard to put it down to do my daily things. I really enjoyed Adrienne Young's Sky In the Deep and I felt the same way that I did with that book! Her writing is just really capturing! I can not wait for Namesake!!! Huge Thank You to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for this opportunity! I can not wait to have the final book in my collection!!!

What would you be willing to do to feel like you're home?

Fable fights for her life and a place to feel safe in this thrilling new novel. With nothing left to lose, she sets out to earn back what is rightfully her and finds a new family along the way.

I loved all these characters. Fable is scrappy and loveable. You can't help but root for her as she continually has to fight for space. The crew of misfits she falls into will leave you yearning, and the ending leaves you desperate for more.